Ground broken for long-awaited LAX people mover system

LOS ANGELES — It's been talked about for years, and now construction is underway on a people mover to carry travellers in and out of Los Angeles International Airport.

City officials broke ground Thursday on the project which will finally give passengers an alternative to cars, shuttles and buses that now jam the upper and lower ring roads within the central terminal area.

Mayor Eric Garcetti called it historic, saying LAX travellers should have modern, reliable and timely public transportation.

The 2 1/4-mile (3.6-kilometre) system of automated trains will connect passengers to the terminals, external pick-up and drop-off locations and at long last the Los Angeles County Metro light rail system.

Developer LINXS will build and run the system under a 30-year, $4.9 billion contract, the largest ever awarded by the city.